FURTHER PROBLEMS OF HYPNOTISM. (II.) 411
graduate. He found him surrounded by his friends, who said they had been playing the willing-game, and that he had been blindfolded and willed ; soon afterwards he became tottering on his legs and went into a state of convulsions. When seen he was tossing about on a sofa, with face slightly flushed, the movements of the arms and legs being most irregular, almost equally exaggerated on both sides. The muscles of the face and neck were least affected, but he spoke in a jerky way, and on putting out his tongue it was protruded and withdrawn suddenly. He was quite con- scious, clear and collected, and said that he tried to prevent himself tossing about, but could not help it. The pupils acted to light and were natural in size. He was ordered a bromide draught and told to go to bed. The next morning he was quite well. He said he had spent a bad night, tossing about until 5 A.M. before he went to sleep, but there was now only an occasional twitching in the legs. He was of a nervous and excitable dis- position, but never had fits, rheumatism, or chorea." About the same time the Master of Selwyn College told me of a very similar incident which had happened among his own undergraduates. I will add one more case which I owe to Mr. F. H. Matthews, of Ivy Villa, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood. The narrator is his sister, and the narrative has been fully confirmed by the lady in whose house the incident occurred, and also by Mr. Matthews's independent recollections of what his sister had told him. "February 14, 1886. " On the evening of Tuesday, December 8, 1885, we were playing the willing-game, and upon being asked to try, I left the room, whilst some- thing was thought of. When I returned I was blindfolded, gave my right hand to Miss S., who was to lead me. Almost immediately I started for- ward, and went straight towards a young lady, and fell on my knees before her. Then, unfortunately, my thoughts returned to me, and I was con- scious that I should kiss her. The knowledge, it seems, prevented my performing the action, and the next moment I fell on the floor with the full consciousness of what had happened to me." She lay for some minutes, unable to speak or move, and breathing with great difficulty. " When my dress was unfastened, the relief was so great that I broke into crying, and I could hear myself how loudly I sobbed", feeling even ashamed, yet not able to check myself." Revived with brandy, &c., she had a violent fit of trembling, which left her with an inclination to sleep. This, however, was resisted ; and after forcing herself to walk upstairs, which she did with assistance, she returned to a normal state. While this paper is passing through the press, a friend tells me that on the only occasion when she was ever " willed " in this way, she fainted and fell almost im- mediately on being touched. Such results as these seem at any rate to deserve atten- tion. Nothing like them has ever occurred in experiments in thought-transference proper, without contact ; and it is very difficult to believe that what was regarded as a mere pastime should have produced a psychical state of tension and emotion sufficiently sui generis to account for the occur-